I have been meaning to read this novel by Wyndham for some time and glad I finally decided to read it because it is listed as one of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. I have only read one other book by Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids which I enjoyed several years ago. Cuckoos takes place in a small village in England called Midwich where one day a mysterious force makes everyone in the village unconscious for a day. So what caused this and why? Based on aerial photos, a mysterious object (probably a UFO) is seen in the center of the circumference of the area affected by the blackout. So is this an attack from another world? But then the people come back to life as if nothing had happened and the UFO is gone. Then every woman of childbearing age in the village becomes pregnant. The resulting children are very alike and have strange golden eyes and seem to be linked telepathically. As the children grow older, a struggle between the children, the villagers, and the authorities results in a conflict that could possibly be the end of mankind.
Although this novel is somewhat dated, it emphasizes the concerns of writers after the end of the WWII and during the cold warâfears that include invasion or infiltration from the outside. I thought it was quite compelling and a masterful science fiction tale which was first published in 1957. I think it also influenced other writers including Stephen King whose premise in Under the Dome was very similar to the hemisphere that affected the people of Midwich at the beginning of the novel. I will be looking forward to reading more by Wyndham (I have a few others on my TBR shelf). This was also made into two movie versions titled "Village of the Damned" â one in 1960 and the other in 1995. Although I have never seen either version, I've heard the 1960 one is superior so I will be keeping an eye out for it.
Although this novel is somewhat dated, it emphasizes the concerns of writers after the end of the WWII and during the cold warâfears that include invasion or infiltration from the outside. I thought it was quite compelling and a masterful science fiction tale which was first published in 1957. I think it also influenced other writers including Stephen King whose premise in Under the Dome was very similar to the hemisphere that affected the people of Midwich at the beginning of the novel. I will be looking forward to reading more by Wyndham (I have a few others on my TBR shelf). This was also made into two movie versions titled "Village of the Damned" â one in 1960 and the other in 1995. Although I have never seen either version, I've heard the 1960 one is superior so I will be keeping an eye out for it.
